Composite support and condenser



May 22, 1934. 1.. H. LYNN COMPOSITE SUPPORT AND CONDENSER Filed March 51. 1952 lnventow" Lamber-t Hiynn His Attorney.

Patented May 22, 1934 COIWPOSITE SUPPORT AND CONDENSER Lambert H. Lynn, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application March 31, 1932, Serial No. 602,243

9 Claims. (Cl. 250-16) My invention relates to supports for electron discharge devices and has for one of its objects to provide a composite condenser and support for an electron discharge device.

Commonly electron discharge devices are supported in sockets provided especially for the purpose, the sockets being provided with contacts which cooperate withterminals of the electron discharge device mounted therein. All of the circuit elements, such as the cathode by-pass condensers, and the like are provided as separate units and are connected to the terminals of the discharge devices through the ordinary wiring connections. At ultra short wave lengths these additional wiring connections introduce unde- .sired stray inductive and capacitive effects.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a composite tube socket and condenser in which the condenser electrodes themselves constitute the support for the discharge device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a composite condenser and support for a plurality of discharge devices in which desired electrical connections between the different discharge devices is effected through the condenser electrodes themselves and without the use of wiring connections which introduce appreciable undesired stray capacitive and inductive effects.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with, particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 represents an embodiment of my invention; Fig. '2 presents an exploded view thereof; and Fig. 3 illustrates the invention in a simplified way.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing I have shown therein a main non-conducting supporting plate 1 which may be supported. in any suitable way in the apparatus in which the invention is to be employed. Mounted uporvthe lower surface of the plate 1 and in broadside relation therewith are a plurality of metallic conducting plates 2, 3, and 4 which are insulated from each, other by insulating and dielectric sheets 5 and. 6. These plates are secured to the plate 1 by means of suitable SCHWS or bolts '7 which extend through holes 8 in the difierent plates and in an additional nonconducting plate 1' which supports the plate 4. At each end or otherwise suitably positioned in the supporting plate 1 are large apertures 9 and 55 10 adapted to receive the base portion of electron discharge devices indicated at 11. Apertures 12 are also provided in the plate 2 to receive an electrode terminal 13 of the discharge devices. Apertures 14 are also provided in the plate 4 to receive I the electrode terminals 15 of the discharge devices. The plate 2 has its front corner portions 16 cut away to permit the terminal 15 to enter the apertures 14 without danger of electrical short circuit between the terminals 13 and 15 through the upper plate 2. For a similar reason the plate 4 has its back corner portions 16' cut away.

An additional aperture 17 is provided in the plate 2 and extends through the other plates and through the dielectric sheets and is positioned to receive an additional prong 18 on the base of the discharge device 11. The corresponding apertures in the dielectric sheets 5 and 6 are smaller than the apertures 17 in the plates 2 and 4 to prevent electrical contact between the prong 8 and the metallic plates of the condenser. Apertures 19' are also provided in the dielectric sheets 5 and 6 to receive the prong 19.

Mounted upon the lower side of plates 2 and 4 respectively are conducting clips 20 and 21 which cooperate with the apertures 12 and 14 to receive and to grip the prongs 13 and 15 when they are inserted I in their respective apertures. A

suitable source of electromotive force 22 is shown as connected between the clips 20' and 21 through a transformer 23. This source of electromotive force may comprise, for example, a source 01. cathode heating energy in which case the terminals 13 and 15 are assumed to be the cathode terminals of the discharge device. The plates 2 and 4 then constitute a condenser connected across the secondary winding of transformer 23 the plates having sufficient area to constitute an effective by-pass condenser at the frequencies at which the discharge device is operated. The secondary winding of the transformer 23 is shown as having a midpoint 24 connected to ground. The metallic plate 3 may likewise be connected to ground as indicated at 25 in which case plates 2 and 3 constitute a by-pass condenser for high frequencies across the upper half of the wind- 1 ing 24 and the plates 3 and 4 constitute a similar by-pass condenser across the lower half of the secondary winding of transformer 23.

In accordance with the form of the invention illustrated the prongs 18 and 19 on the discharge I device at the right end of the condenser project downward beyond the end of the plates 2 and 4. The clips 20, 21 which are provided in cooperation with all of the apertures 12, 14 securely grip the prongs 13 and 18 and hold the discharge device in place. Of course, in applications where the discharge devices are subjected to excessive vibration, any additional means, not shown, and now known in the art may be employed to additionally secure the discharge devices in place.

As thus arranged it will be seen that the condenser constructed in accordance with my invention constitutes a rigid support for the discharge device. The plates 2 and 4 in addition to serving as electrodes of the condenser also serve to make electrical connection between the corresponding contact terminals 13 and 15 re spectively of the discharge devices. The con denser is of extremely compact construction and may readily be mounted in any suitable apparatus in which the discharge device is employed, such as radio transmitting and receiving equipment, and avoids the use of special sockets for the discharge devices. It also avoids the use of additional wiring connections to complete the circuit connections to the terminals 13 and 15 and any additional inductance or stray capacitive effects introduced by such additional connections.

Fig. 2 presents an exploded view oi the invention in which the different parts and apertures bear reference numerals corresponding to those applied to Fig. l. The form of the dillferent plates is more clearly shown in this figure. It will be observed that plate 3 has both its rear and forward portions bent downward to provide a large surface area for low reactance connection to other portions of the apparatus as con-- ventionally indicated at 25 in lFig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the invention in a simplified way in that it illustrates only the main elements 2, 3, and 4 of the condenser and shows the spantures l2 and 14; which'are provided to receive the electrode terminals of the discharge device to which connections are to be made.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since different modifications may be made in the form and assembly of the parts comprising my invention. I contemplate by the appended claims to v cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination, in a support for electron discharge devices, of a plurality of conducting plates, apertures therein to receive electrode terminals of an electron discharge device, dielectric material between said plates whereby said plates constitute a condenser, and clamping means attached to said plates to secure said electrode terminals to said plates and to constitute the principal support for the discharge device.

2. The combination, in a support for electron discharge devices, or a plurality of parallel mounted conducting plates, said plates being provided respectively with means to receive and to make electrical contact with different electrode terminals of an electron discharge device and to secure said electrode terminals to said plates, and dielectric material between said plates said plates constituting a condenser connected between said terminals and the principal support for said discharge device.

3. The combination, in a support for electron discharge apparatus, a non-conducting plate, a plurality of conducting plates mounted thereon and insulated from one another, said conducting plates being'provided with means to make electrical contact with the terminals of a discharge device and to secure said electrode terminals to said plates, said means and said plates c0nstituting the principal support forthe discharge device, and an aperture in said non-conducting plate to receive said discharge device.

1. In combinatiom a plurality of parallel mounted conducting plates, one of said plates be ing provided with means to receive and to make contact with corresponding terminals of a plurality of discharge devices and to secure said terminals to said plate and another of said plates being provided with means to receive and to make contact with other corresponding terminals of said discharge devices and to secure said other terminals to said plate, and means to insulate said plates from each other.

I 5. In combination, a supporting non-conducting plate, a plurality of additional plates mounted thereon in broadside relation, apertures in said non-conducting plate to receive the body of a plurality of discharge devices and apertures in each plate to receive corresponding terminals of said discharge devices, the apertures in one plate being adaptedto receive terminals which are noincorresponding with the terminals re ceived by apertures in the other plate, each of said apertures in said. additional plates being provided with means to secure the respective terminal or said discharge devices to the respective plate, and means to insulate said plates from each other whereby said. plates interconnect corresponding terminals of said discharge devices and constitute a capacitance between IlUll-C0lresponding terminals of said discharge devices.

16. In combination, a plurality of parallel mounted conducting plates, one of said plates being provided with means to receive to make contact with corresponding terminals of a plurality of discharge devices, and another of said plates being provided with means to receive and. to make contact with other corresponding terminals of said discharge devices, each of said means comprising means mechanically to secure said electrode terminals to said plates, an additional conducting plate interposed between said first two plates and connected to ground, and means to insulate all of said plates from each other, whereby said first two plates serve to connect corresponding terminals of said discharge devices together and to constitute one electrode of a condenser between said correspending electrodes and ground.

7. In combination, a pair of conducting plates, one of said plates being provided with means to receive and to make electrical contact with corresponding cathode electrodes of a plurality of discharge devices and the other of said plates being provided with means to receive and make electrical contact with the opposite corresponding cathode electrodes of said discharge devices, each of said last means comprising a clip mounted on the respective plate and adapted mechanically to secure said electrode terminal thereto, a source of cathode energy connected between said plates,

each of said plates forming an electrical connection between the respective corresponding cathode terminals and having suflicient area to constitute an eiifective high frequency by-pass across said source of cathode energy.

8. In combination, a pair of conducting plates,

one of said plates being provided with means to receive and to make electrical contact with corresponding cathode electrodes of a plurality ofdischarge devices and the other of said plates being provided with means to receive and make electrical contact with the opposite corresponding cathode electrodes of said discharge devices, said last two means being adapted mechanically to secure said discharge devices to said plates, 2. source of cathode energy connected between said plates, said source having an intermediate connection to ground, a third plate interposed between said first two plates and connected to ground, said first two plates forming a connection for cathode heating currents between respective cathode terminals of said discharge devices, and all of said plates having sufiicient area to constitute a high frequency by-pass from the respective side of said source to ground.

9. In combination, a plurality of conducting means being adapted mechanically to secure said,

discharge devices to said plates, means to insulate said plates from each other, whereby each of said plates constitutes an electrical connection between corresponding terminals of said discharge devices and the capacitance between said plates comprises a condenser connected between non-corresponding terminals of said discharge devices, and means to impress an electromotive force between said plates.

LAMBERT H. LYNN. 

